Local ferromagnetic structure in Heusler alloy Mn2CoGa and Mn2CoAl doped by Cr, Fe and Co

The crystal structures and magnetic properties of Mn2CoMxGa1-x and Mn2CoMxAl1-x (M = Cr, Fe, Co) alloys are investigated through experiment and calculation. Due to the covalent effect, the doped Fe and Co atoms preferentially occupy the A sites. It causes that some MnA (-2.1 mu B) atoms become MnD (3.2 mu B) and a local ferromagnetic structure of MnB-CoC-MnD is generated in the ferrimagnetic matrix, showing that an increment of molecular moment is as high as 6.18 mu B. The achievement of the ferromagnetic structure consumes the exchange interaction energy, consequently, reducing the T-C in Fe doping alloys. It is found that the toleration for doping Co in Mn2CoAl reaches up to x = 0.64, much more than that in Mn2CoGa (x = 0.36), and the change from ordered B2 to A2 structures along with the decrease of Al content. These observations reveal the importance of the covalent effect in these intermetallic compounds. The Cr doping shows an abnormal increment of molecular moment of 3.65 mu B and increases the T-C rapidly, which implies that Cr atoms may take an atomic configuration thereby disobeying to the occupation rule.